FOUR STATE AREA — A Four State resident has traveled more than 1,000 miles to be in the nation’s epicenter of coronavirus, in hopes of helping to prevent further the spread of illness.

Where did this resident go?

Peter Edwards started his month long stay in New York yesterday, working to help disinfect rooms at Mount Sinai Hospital.

Peter Edwards, Environmental Services Supervisor, Freeman Health System, said, “I have a great passion for life, I have a great passion for Freeman Health System, it just grows and grows. And I’ve been able and blessed to help other places, other accounts.”

Peter Edwards is an environmental services supervisor for Freeman Health System, helping to decontaminate hospital rooms once someone with coronavirus has been in it.

When he was approached to help in relief efforts in New York at Mount Sinai Hospital, he didn’t think twice.

“I was asked to do this opportunity and by the good grace of God, he gave it to me.

On Monday, Edwards set off for a month long visit to help train employees to properly disinfect rooms, equipment and beds.

A process that is pretty tedious.

“First thing we do is surficide the area, it is a UV light that disinfects everything in the room, after that process, we’ll go in and we’ll neutralize anything remaining. There’s nothing left undone.”

And Edwards has nothing but support from his co-workers back home.

Matthew Foley, Assistant Director of Environmental Services, Freeman Health System, said, “My confidence level in Peter is very high. Just from my communication with him from what he’s done in New York so far, he’s already making an impact educating people on the proper techniques and making sure that he’s doing right by everybody in that community up there now.”

With the need for help being a lot greater than it is in the Four States, Edwards hopes he inspires other medical professionals to fill in where help is needed.

“It definitely has a lot more people. You definitely have to be prepared to have an open heart, because it’s going to tug on it. It definitely is, even with the short time I’ve been here. It’s eye awakening but it’s a blessing if you can,” said Edwards.

Edwards adds it is more important now more than ever to ensure we are social distancing.

And once Edwards arrives back in the Four States, he will undergo a 14-day quarantine.